1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for forming bows from a ribbon which includes a base plate and a pair of uprights mounted on the base plate. One of the uprights is resiliently biased toward the other upright for grippingly engaging portions of the ribbon inserted therebetween to hold bow loops formed from the ribbon in place while forming the bow. A tie wire is placed between the uprights for securing the portions of the bow loops retained between the uprights before removing the assembled bow loops. The uprights have opposed narrow edges to effectively grip the ribbon positioned therebetween. In one embodiment of the invention, the uprights include spaced upright plates to receive the tie wire and a forming arm which moves the portions of the bow loops between the uprights toward the base plate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The formation of bows from ribbon for use on packages and other decorative uses is well known. It is also well known that it is quite difficult to form a ribbon bow with a plurality of loops by merely holding the intersecting cross over portions of the loop between the thumb and fingers when forming a bow. In view of long existing difficulties in forming bows by holding the assembled bow in one hand while the loops are formed with the other, devices have been developed to assist in forming a bow. The following U.S. patents disclose structures for this purpose:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,542,222
U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,080
U.S. Pat. No. 3,816,888
U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,968
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,056
The above patents include pegs or dowels which extend upwardly from a base plate in spaced relation on which bow loops are formed. In some of the patents, the base plate includes an upwardly extended pointed member which penetrates the overlapping, intersecting portions of the bow loop. In other of the patents, the bow is formed by forming loops around a plurality of adjacent pegs or dowels. Another device for forming bows has been marketed under the trademark "Easy Bow Maker" manufactured by E-Z BOWZ, Inc. of Sevierville, Tenn. This device is a base plate with a pair of spaced dowels or pegs mounted rigidly thereon with the dowels receiving the overlapping, intersecting portions of the bow loops therebetween to hold the loops in assembled relation until they can be removed and secured by a wire wrapped around the intersecting portions of the loops to secure the bow in assembled relation. In some instances, distance indicating indicia may be provided on the base plate to facilitate the formation of bow loops of different lengths in order to form bows having various configurations.
While the prior art discloses various devices to assist in the formation of bows from various types of ribbon, the prior art does not disclose a bow forming device that is structurally or functionally equivalent to this invention.